desk accessories

This post is sponsored by Staples Canada. As always, opinions are my own.

I had the pleasure of touring to a few cities in Canada this spring to share ways to be more productive this season. Not only do we need to think about being productive in how we accomplish what we want to do, it pays to find solutions which are as effective and efficient as possible. I gathered a few ideas which provide one-stop shopping or deliver complete solutions for you, and in this five blog series, I’ll share the benefits of each one.

Happier workers are more productive

As you might imagine, several studies1 validate the premise that happier workers are more productive. In fact, somewhere between 10 and 20% more productive. One analysis suggests that “Workplaces with ‘very satisfied’ employees had higher labour productivity, higher quality of output, and higher overall performance.”2 In fact, small shifts in well-being are directly correlated to big shifts in performance.3

what happens while at work – the people, events, culture, and environments involved

Digging further into happiness at work there are a huge number of influencers including role clarity, value alignment, relationships with colleagues, the level of autonomy we experience, the opportunity for personal growth, and the physical office environment. Most people work best in a well-organized, inspiring space.

3 ways to create a productive and pleasing workspace

1. Personalize Your Space

Choosing decorative and functional elements in palettes and finishes that reflect your personal tastes can make your workspace more inviting. Staples Canada, rebranding in early 2019 as “The Working and Learning Company”, understands that.

Crayon bar at Staples Canada, University Avenue, Toronto.

Pop into the flagship store in downtown Toronto, and you’ll find a bright, airy, membership-based co-working space, auditorium and invitingly laid out shopping experience. Explore the venue to find a robust stationery section complete with an ample selection of journals, pen bar, and inviting bins of crayons in a multitude of colours. You can’t miss the full-service print shop and a significant “Tech Discovery Zone”.

What really stands out though are the office space vignettes. Staples has partnered with design icon Joe Mimran to create 10 stylish Workspaces from colourful to retro to a gamer’s dream, making it easier for you to picture what you might create in your space. Here are a couple of examples:

The “Keep It Simple” office vignette at Staples Canada

The vibrant “Live In Colour” office vignette at Staples Canada

As you might guess from the way I dress and the way I decorated my condo, I love colour with a bit of glam. Here are a few treasures I picked to show off on tour:

2. Green it up!

Studies of offices in the UK and The Netherlands revealed that plants in the office boosted productivity up to 15% while increasing both engagement and satisfaction. 4

Adding plants is a low-cost way to improve the quality of your workspace.

Earlier this week I visited a branch of a major bank. There was plenty of brand-based colour but little else that might have been deemed decorative in the space. It lacked soul. I commented that plants would be a lovely addition and the teller pointed to a vertical bundle of brown twigs a few feet away proclaiming, “We have sticks!” Adding plants is a fairly small upfront investment and with a little nurturing can bring continuous healthy energy to your space.

3. Keep your space comfortable

There has been significant debate recently about open versus closed offices, or what I prefer, mixed space environments. As a highly sensitive person, noisy and visually stimulating environments are quite exhausting to me, so as soon as it was possible, I chose to work more of the time from home. Being able to craft my work environment was a huge benefit to me and left me with more energy at the end of the day I could choose to invest in personal wellness, my family or other interests.

Working from a well-organized home office makes for a productive lifestyle.

A study reveals that females prefer more light than males. There are also differences in the appreciation of noise and temperature with women preferring higher temperatures and less noise. Yet, there is no variance in preferences for formal / information working environments and the need for mobility. Recommendations from the study suggest that those crafting spaces pay attention to the demographics of their work environments and encourage responding to the needs of those using the space. 5